108
Christian Service
There is but one genuine cure for spiritual laziness, and that is
work,—working for souls who need your help.—
Testimonies for the
Church 4:236
.
This is the recipe that Christ has prescribed for the fainthearted,
doubting, trembling soul. Let the sorrowful ones, who walk mourn-
fully before the Lord, arise and help some one who needs help.—
Testimonies for the Church 6:266
.
Christians who are constantly growing in earnestness, in zeal, in
fervor, in love,—such Christians never backslide.—
The Review and
Herald, June 7, 1887
.
It is those who are not engaged in this unselfish labor who have
a sickly experience, and become worn out with struggling, doubting,
murmuring, sinning, and repenting, until they lose all sense as to what
constitutes genuine religion. They feel that they cannot go back to the
world, and so they hang on the skirts of Zion, having petty jealousies,
envyings, disappointments, and remorse. They are full of fault finding,
and feed upon the mistakes and errors of their brethren. They have only
a hopeless, faithless, sunless experience in their religious life.—
The
Review and Herald, September 2, 1890
.
[108]
Unwarranted Excuses
When Jesus went away, He left to every man his work, and “nothing
to do” is an unwarrantable excuse. “Nothing to do” is the reason of
trial among the brethren; for Satan will fill the minds of idlers with
his own plans, and set them to work.... “Nothing to do” brings evil
testimony against the brethren, and dissension into the church of Christ.
Jesus says, “He that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.”—
The
Review and Herald, March 13, 1888
.
Brethren and sisters, many of you excuse yourselves from labor,
on the plea of inability to work for others. But did God make you so
incapable? Was not this inability produced by your own inactivity,
and perpetuated by your own deliberate choice? Did not God give
you at least one talent to improve, not for your own convenience and
gratification, but for Him? Have you realized your obligation, as His
hired servant, to bring a revenue to Him by the wise and skillful use of
this intrusted capital? Have you not neglected opportunities to improve